Teenagers were dancing through a Mercedes' sunroof before the driver crashed in Aptos on Freedom Boulevard and four people in the Mercedes died, according to the California Highway Patrol.VIDEO: Aptos crash sceneA fun Sunday night turned into a horrific nightmare when the black Mercedes sedan with seven people inside veered into oncoming traffic near Aptos High School and Valencia Road. It collided head-on into a Ford F-150 truck just after 8 p.m."It sounded a bit like there was a party going on in the car," CHP Officer Brad Sadek said. "The more people you pile into a car, it greatly increases your chances of being in a collision. There is quite a bit of alcohol residue in the car, broken bottles. Things like (people) hanging out of windows and sunroof prior to the collision.""It was a very chaotic environment," Sadek said. A 22-year-old Watsonville man, Arturo Avalos, was driving the Mercedes, investigators said. The three Mercedes passengers who died were: Terisita Brady, 19, of Soquel; Osbaldo Melgoza-Ortiz, 18, of Watsonville; and Vanessa Guzman, 16, of Watsonville. Brady had been sitting on the front passenger's lap."It appears all seven occupants were not wearing safety belts," Sadek said.Avalos and two his front seat passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. Vanessa Guzman died at Watsonville Community Hospital.Most of the Mercedes passengers were Renaissance High students. Three of the Mercedes' surviving passengers were transported to local hospitals. On Monday, an 18-year-old woman from Marina and a 21-year-old man from Watsonville were listed in critical condition.Only one person in the Mercedes, a 17-year-old girl, escaped without dying or suffering life-threatening injuries. But the CHP said she has not been very cooperatives in answering questions about where the group was going or coming from."She gave us a little bit of information, but she was not entirely forthcoming. I don't know if that was due to fear of getting in trouble. She helped us ID passengers, but could not tell us much more," Sadek said.CHP officers said it appears alcohol or drugs were likely a factor in the collision, and open containers of alcohol were found in the car.Prior to the collision, the Mercedes was traveling westbound on Freedom Boulevard and the truck was traveling eastbound. A 56-year-old Aptos man who was driving the truck was airlifted to a Bay Area trauma center and listed in critical condition. VIDEO: Witnesses, CHP describe how the crash happenedElaine Spotswood was driving behind the truck when the tragic crash unfolded. "I slammed on the brakes. I came within feet of hitting both vehicles.," Spotswood said. "I jumped out. It was a horrific scene inside of the car. I knew people were not wearing their seat belts, I knew people had perished at that point."The 16-year-old girl who died was a popular student at Renaissance High School.Renaissance High Principal Andrew Singleton said, "She was very sweet student. She was very diligent and always seemed to have a positive attitude. She got along with everybody."

APTOS, Calif. —

Teenagers were dancing through a Mercedes' sunroof before the driver crashed in Aptos on Freedom Boulevard and four people in the Mercedes died, according to the California Highway Patrol.

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A fun Sunday night turned into a horrific nightmare when the black Mercedes sedan with seven people inside veered into oncoming traffic near Aptos High School and Valencia Road. It collided head-on into a Ford F-150 truck just after 8 p.m.

"It sounded a bit like there was a party going on in the car," CHP Officer Brad Sadek said. "The more people you pile into a car, it greatly increases your chances of being in a collision. There is quite a bit of alcohol residue in the car, broken bottles. Things like (people) hanging out of windows and sunroof prior to the collision."

Avalos and two his front seat passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. Vanessa Guzman died at Watsonville Community Hospital.

Most of the Mercedes passengers were Renaissance High students.

Three of the Mercedes' surviving passengers were transported to local hospitals. On Monday, an 18-year-old woman from Marina and a 21-year-old man from Watsonville were listed in critical condition.

Only one person in the Mercedes, a 17-year-old girl, escaped without dying or suffering life-threatening injuries. But the CHP said she has not been very cooperatives in answering questions about where the group was going or coming from.

"She gave us a little bit of information, but she was not entirely forthcoming. I don't know if that was due to fear of getting in trouble. She helped us ID passengers, but could not tell us much more," Sadek said.

CHP officers said it appears alcohol or drugs were likely a factor in the collision, and open containers of alcohol were found in the car.

Prior to the collision, the Mercedes was traveling westbound on Freedom Boulevard and the truck was traveling eastbound. A 56-year-old Aptos man who was driving the truck was airlifted to a Bay Area trauma center and listed in critical condition.

Elaine Spotswood was driving behind the truck when the tragic crash unfolded.

"I slammed on the brakes. I came within feet of hitting both vehicles.," Spotswood said. "I jumped out. It was a horrific scene inside of the car. I knew people were not wearing their seat belts, I knew people had perished at that point."

The 16-year-old girl who died was a popular student at Renaissance High School.

Renaissance High Principal Andrew Singleton said, "She was very sweet student. She was very diligent and always seemed to have a positive attitude. She got along with everybody."